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Monday, August 12, 2013

The Mask of Loneliness

“Do your best to come to me
quickly…When you come, bring … my scrolls, especially the parchments…but
everyone deserted me.May it not be held
against them.But the Lord stood at my
side and gave me strength…The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack…To him
be glory for ever and ever…Do your
best to get here before winter” 2 Timothy 4:9-21.

Loneliness is one of the toughest emotions to shake.People experience it daily and it masquerades
around in costumes that we don’t even recognize.When my father-in-law lived with us his final
year of life I experienced loneliness like I never had before.With caregivers at the home daily to assist
me it seems I shouldn’t have felt lonely.But during that time, I felt no one could relate to my circumstances.I was a daughter-in-law caring for my
father-in-law on every level.It would
have been a different landscape totally had it been my own parent with 52 years
of history, relationship and fellowship.But the target of adversity rarely lands in expected places.

Paul wrote this passage during the final years of his life.He so desperately wanted fellowship in prison
so he reached out and wrote to his friend Timothy.I wonder how long he sat there in loneliness
before he wrote this letter.I wonder
at what point he turned lonely thoughts into healthy actions.In considering this, I wonder how long we
sit in our self-made prisons waiting for others to attend to our emotional
needs.When do we finally determine that
we have responsibilities in our deliverance?On another note, Paul asked for Timothy to bring his scrolls and
parchments.Scholars differ on what this
request truly was but most feel like the scrolls were for intellect purposes
while the parchment was most likely parts of the Old Testament.Just as important as fellowship was his
desire to stay mentally and spiritually challenged.I am reminded of how my grandmother
surrounded herself in the assisted living home with her writings and God’s Word
in the final two years of her life. When
we feel lonely, do we place as much importance on our spiritual and mental
intellect as we do on our emotions of the flesh?Paul also wrote of future rescues by the
Lord.I wonder if our letters would echo
this belief that God has both love and power to rescue us from our lonely
place.

Paul closes his letter with a second plea for a visit but still
selflessly thinks of Timothy.When he
encourages his friend to come before winter it is for Timothy’s safety, not
Paul’s desperation.For me, this is the
most tender moment between these friends.Paul doesn’t guilt his friend into coming, nor is his absence held
against him.These friends have pure
love for each other at the base of their relationship.One of my greatest blessings is the unconditional
love, acceptance and fellowship between me and my precious friends.True friends focus on how to be better
friends instead of focusing on how their friends can be better.Love always works for the benefit of the
other.

‘A man of many companions
may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother’
Proverbs 18:24.‘Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his
friends’ John 15:13.